Fans Are Offering Lamar Odom Their Kidneys

Lamar Odom played in the NBA for 15 years. (Photo: Getty Images)

Now that former basketball star Lamar Odom is on a long road to recovery, fans are taking to Twitter to offer up their organs.

According to reports, Odom’s kidneys are failing, which means he needs daily dialysis and may require a kidney transplant. Fans of the hoops legend-turned-reality TV star are stepping up, offering their own kidneys to Odom on Twitter.

Using social media to facilitate kidney transplants isn’t unusual, but it usually works in reverse — those needing a kidney post to their networks and hope that they find a match.

While Odom would likely turn to family for a donation first — you have to be a blood match and pass various tests — the outpouring of support leaves him luckier than most patients in need of a new kidney. The average wait time for a kidney donation is two years.

Some are upset by the responses, since there are patients waiting for kidney donations who haven’t abused drugs and alcohol (though to you we say: addiction is an illness too). Angry commenters descended on TMZ’s Facebook page after they posted about the offers:

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Before you tweet, know this: Since only one kidney is needed to replace two failed kidneys, a living-donor donation is possible. But the recovery time for a kidney donation can last months, and most donors need several weeks of recovery before returning to work.

It’s an exceptionally generous action, but one that requires a lot of careful planing and recovery time. If you’re inspired to donate a kidney after Odom’s ordeal, great — you can visit the National Kidney Registry to sign up to be notified when you’re a potential match.

Can’t make that big of a commitment at the moment but still want to make a difference? Register as an organ donor here.